1959 Swiss federal election

Federal elections were held in Switzerland on 25 October 1959. The Social Democratic Party and the Free Democratic Party emerged as the largest parties in the National Council, each winning 51 of the 196 seats.

Results

National Council

Party		Votes	%	Seats	+/–
	Social Democratic Party	259,139	26.38	51	–2
	Free Democratic Party	232,557	23.67	51	+1
	Conservative Christian Social Party	229,088	23.32	47	0
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	113,611	11.56	23	+1
	Alliance of Independents	54,049	5.50	10	0
	Swiss Party of Labour	26,346	2.68	3	–1
	Liberal Democratic Party	22,934	2.33	5	0
	Social-Political Group	21,170	2.15	4	0
	Evangelical People's Party	14,038	1.43	2	+1
	Other parties	9,438	0.96	0	–
Total		982,370	100.00	196	0
Valid votes		982,370	97.40
Invalid/blank votes		26,193	2.60
Total votes		1,008,563	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		1,473,155	68.46
Source: Nohlen & Stöver

By constituency

Constituency	Seats	Electorate	Turnout	Party		Votes	Seats won
Aargau	13	94,726	79,872		Social Democratic Party	310,962	4
					Conservative People's Party	226,341	3
					Free Democratic Party	184,747	2
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	147,716	2
					Ring of Independents	65,889	1
					Evangelical People's Party	32,802	0
					Free Voters for the Repeal of Compulsory Voting	21,883	0
Appenzell Ausserrhoden	2	Elected unopposed			Free Democratic Party		1
					Social Democratic Party		1
Appenzell Innerrhoden	1	3,624	1,361		Conservative Christian Social Party	1,010	1
Basel-Landschaft	4	38,597	23,744		Social Democratic Party	31,119	1
					Free Democratic Party	24,003	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	13,944	1
					Aktion Kanton Basel	12,772	0
					Conservative Christian Social Party	12,172	1
Basel-Stadt	8	67,346	40,765		Social Democratic Party	96,439	3
					Free Democratic Party	63,876	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	43,516	1
					Liberal Party	40,230	1
					Ring of Independents	35,809	1
					Party of Labour	28,881	0
					Evangelical People's Party	13,185	0
Bern	33	255,261	166,701		Social Democratic Party	1,917,983	12
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	1,799,135	11
					Free Democratic Party	917,183	6
					Conservative Christian Social Party	383,320	2
					Ring of Independents	296,288	2
					Non-partisan List of Christian Citizens	66,143	0
Fribourg	7	45,817	31,802		Conservative Christian Social Party	112,479	4
					Free Democratic Party	49,507	1
					Social Democratic Party	30,241	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	27,010	1
Geneva	8	67,674	30,914		Free Democratic Party	64,157	3
					Party of Labour	63,488	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	41,879	1
					Social Democratic Party	38,125	1
					Liberal Party	36,948	1
Glarus	2	10,782	8,357		Social Democratic Party	6,505	1
					Free Democratic Party	4,723	1
					Social-Political Group	3,121	0
					Conservative Christian Social Party	2,159	0
Grisons	6	37,906	27,854		Conservative Christian Social Party	65,966	2
					Social-Political Group	46,225	2
					Free Democratic Party	26,303	1
					Social Democratic Party	24,564	1
Lucerne	9	69,773	59,301		Conservative Christian Social Party	270,546	5
					Free Democratic Party	203,944	4
					Social Democratic Party	50,539	0
Neuchâtel	5	41,660	23,229		Social Democratic Party	42,759	2
					Free Democratic Party	30,354	2
					Liberal Party	20,658	1
					Party of Labour	12,146	0
					National Progressive Party	6,953	0
Nidwalden	1	5,803	2,608		Conservative Christian Social Party	2,114	1
Obwalden	1	6,273	2,623		Conservative Christian Social Party	1,952	1
					Liberal Party	563	0
Schaffhausen	2	17,801	15,283		Social Democratic Party	12,820	1
					Free Democratic Party	8,591	1
					Ring of Independents	6,079	0
Schwyz	3	21,194	15,901		Conservative Christian Social Party	25,141	2
					Social Democratic Party	11,113	1
					Free Democratic Party	10,527	0
Solothurn	7	55,169	45,939		Free Democratic Party	135,929	3
					Social Democratic Party	96,818	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	79,664	2
St. Gallen	13	87,576	67,499		Conservative Christian Social Party	383,322	6
					Free Democratic Party	236,576	4
					Social Democratic Party	150,671	2
					Ring of Independents	65,031	1
Ticino	7	50,924	35,265		Free Democratic Party	99,493	3
					Conservative Christian Social Party	95,473	3
					Social Democratic Party	36,558	1
Thurgau	6	43,424	32,179		Social Democratic Party	53,313	2
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	48,594	2
					Conservative Christian Social Party	47,425	1
					Free Democratic Party	38,491	1
Uri	1	8,721	4,550		Free Democratic Party	3,417	1
Vaud	16	119,220	65,588		Free Democratic Party	314,653	6
					Social Democratic Party	306,580	5
					Liberal Party	146,489	2
					Party of Labour	116,746	1
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	92,844	1
					Conservative Christian Social Party	52,542	1
Valais	7	49,350	36,635		Conservative Christian Social Party	157,530	5
					Free Democratic Party	49,459	1
					Social Democratic Party	32,311	1
					Social Movement - Peasants, Workers and Independents	14,520	0
Zug	2	13,067	8,296		Conservative Christian Social Party	7,630	1
					Free Democratic Party	5,060	1
					Social Democratic Party	3,276	0
Zürich	32	261,738	182,406		Social Democratic Party	1,606,287	9
					Ring of Independents	879,528	5
					Free Democratic Party	854,519	5
					Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	847,913	5
					Conservative Christian Social Party	725,719	4
					Social-Political Group	336,388	2
					Evangelical People's Party	315,777	2
					Party of Labour	162,424	0
Source: Bundesblatt, 3 December 1959

Council of the States

In several cantons the members of the Council of the States were chosen by the cantonal parliaments.

Party		Seats	+/–
	Conservative Christian Social Party	17	0
	Free Democratic Party	13	+1
	Social Democratic Party	4	–1
	Party of Farmers, Traders and Independents	3	0
	Liberal Democratic Party	3	0
	Social-Political Group	1	–1
	Other parties	3	+1
Total		44	0
Source: Nohlen & Stöver